Awoo?

An original character written for the rp group Kinged WARNING FOR GORE AND HORROR ON THIS BLOG

[bloodstainedshackles]

A Terrible Night For A Curse || Nyb & Risu

cursedspikes​:

This creature’s tenacity wasn’t something Risu should’ve underestimated. Perhaps its sense of self preservation took a backseat to its bloodlust. It moved quickly, dodging the attack Risu’s ability dished out on his behalf, and it became clear to Risu that this might just turn into a battle of attrition.

A rush of adrenaline shot through Risu as he noticed that his attack actually did land, albeit not enough to even slow down the tail whipping towards him. He barely had time to register the crimson being slung through the air before the appendage struck him in his abdomen hard, knocking him out of the air and onto his back.

The adrenaline still coursing through his veins aided in Risu’s recovery as he rolled backwards onto his feet before beginning to levitate into the air once more. He couldn’t die again here. It would be best to simply try to outlast the beast at this rate rather than go for a killing strike. What should I do? What can I do?

Risu steeled himself, all four eyes fixed intently on the creature. Something told him it wouldn’t stop until one of them was dead. The chains around him rattled ominously, as though shaking in anticipation for the next move, ready to strike once the beast got within range.

The beast’s hefty tail hit its mark, knocking the hellacious being to the ground below, earning a garbled victory snarl from deep within the beast’s throat. It continued sailing through the air, to come to land on all fours on the ground on the other side. Hackles raised, tail tracing red arcs through the air as it swished, saliva dripping from bared teeth, it began pacing, slowly circling its decided prey.

Well, being a simple beast, true to its desires, patience was never its strong point. If it could see a possible opening for an attack, it would lunge, letting fierce muscles and razor sharp claws overpower and shred any opponent. This opponent was particularly tricky because he did not have any exposed neck or other clear weak point to target, but that itself held little meaning to the bloodthirsty animal.

“rrrrRRRRRrrrrr…..”

With a growl, it bunched its muscles and then lunged, parting wide its jaws to expose rows behind rows of sharp teeth, aiming for the floating figure’s stomach.

[bloodstainedshackles]

Sunk || Nyb & Narihisago

nxrihisago​:

The man that had stepped out of hiding and into view seemed… relatively normal in his behavior. He revealed himself without much fuss, he didn’t seem very fidgety, he maintained eye contact… even under such intense scrutiny, the man didn’t falter. Narihisago’s mind started to race with the possibilities of what sort of person he was dealing with. “Hm.” 

Still, even in the low lighting of the night, illuminated only by the moon and odd streetlight, there was the unmistakable smear of something on his face. Narihisago knew there was a non-zero chance that it wasn’t blood, but given the man’s haste to hide himself… Even so, Narihisago didn’t want to give away his suspicions so soon and risk this guy running off.

“I’ve been investigating some violent crimes that’ve been happening. Usually spikes around this time, I think.”

“Would you happen to know anything about that at all? Anyone acting strange in the area?”

Color drained from Nyb’s face at the gruff man’s mention of violent crime, and he raised a hand to rub the back of his head. “Violent crimes?” His voice faltered as he repeated this line. Of course it was because the darkness of night was the perfect cover for many crimes, and he doubted that his erasures were the only things going on. More than likely, if the man was already out here investigating, some other incident had tipped him off, and Nyb’s placement here had just been unfortunate timing. All he had to do, then, was feign ignorance.

I’d make a damn fine actor. Holding such lofty ideals deep within his heart, Nyb trained his unwavering emerald gaze upon the man. “You know, I think I heard something about that. I don’t know very much, but… Well, I have a friend that lives in this district, and lately she’s been concerned about some disappearances. She wanted to do some investigating, so I was trying to find her and stop her before it got dangerous, but she was very adamant about it. We got into a little scuffle, but ultimately she ended up going out there somewhere. She wanted to see if I’d go with her, but you know, I told her that that’s all too dangerous. She didn’t tell me very much about anything, but if you can try to go talk to her, she headed out that way. Talk her out of it, tell her it’s damn crazy!”

The “friend” was nothing more than a work of fiction he’d created to serve as an adequate distraction. In truth, he didn’t know what, if anything, was down the street he’d thrust his finger out towards. It was just away, and right now that was all he needed. With such a vague description, there was no way the man would ever find the girl he’d created, and he wasn’t sure how long he’d look. But maybe he’d find the actual criminal he was looking for as well. As long as he didn’t arrest Nyb. The assassin didn’t really care what happened to whoever else was committing such atrocious acts. He could already barely handle the blood staining his own hands, but he held no pity whatsoever for others who chose such a horrendous fate for themselves.

They could just rot in Hell.

[bloodstainedshackles]

That’s Pretty Sus | V and Nyb

nazo-no-otoko​:

V simply stared at the man as he gave his reasoning for his presence. It seemed a little off, although to the stranger’s credit, V probably caught him off guard. Even so, V didn’t want to let his guard down completely. “A ring?” If it was truly that important, then why was the accessory so ill-fitting that it would slip right off if the stranger was just trying to investigate the bookstore?

“I don’t know about this one, V,” Griffon commented in V’s mind. “Something doesn’t sit right with me…”

V didn’t need to reply to his familiar for Griffon to know that the king held the same idea in his head. “Your eyes do not fail you, as this particular bookstore is indeed out of business. Although yes, there is still a collection of books within.”

“What book are you looking for? Should this store have it, it would be no trouble for me to part with it.” V didn’t care to let people he didn’t trust into the bookstore, save for very special circumstances, and this man was no exception. “The previous owners catalogued every piece that entered these doors. I could simply search for it while you searched for that ring of yours.”

Nyb’s heart leapt into his throat at the Colorless King’s offer to slip back into the store in search of his book. Opportunity was the word that sprang into his mind. He couldn’t have planned for a better one. Given the run-down shop’s abandoned status, someone disappearing within it could probably go a long time unnoticed.

As always crushing the still-small voice within him that whispered words of regret and remorse and dread into his ear, Nyb silently steeled his resolve as his mind raced to conjure up a book to send the man in after. Preferably, it would be something deep inside, although Nyb had no way of grasping the shop’s in-depth layout.

“Ah, well…” Tilting his head to the side and scratching at his cheek, the young assassin gazed at the tall, gaunt figure in front of him. “I suppose you wouldn’t happen to have the third installment of The Tale of Shigyu, would you? I swear I can’t find it anywhere, but the first two had me hooked.”

[bloodstainedshackles]

it starts with a seed || nyb & ran

wisteriahill​:

He looked pale, definitely shaken. Something definitely must have happened, but everyone had those days. She could remember plenty of times where a student had a breakdown. She was the type of person who couldn’t leave someone alone like that, and had always done her best to sit with them and soothe them until they felt better. Sometimes it took a cup of tea, talking about literally anything other than what was bothering them, but eventually, they’d calm down. 

“It happens,” Ran smiled sympathetically. “Some days are worse than others.” She supposed she was lucky in that regard. Not everyone got work in a peaceful little flower shop. But honestly, it was a good place to try and gather yourself again. “No, you’re fine. I just saw you while I was watering plants and wanted to make sure you were okay.” 

She thought for a moment, tilting her head slightly. “If you’d like, there’s a sitting area in the back. It’s shaded and a nice breeze blows through there. Ah, there’s the koi pond too.” It might help, at least, to sit in a more comfortable, calming place. She liked to sit there sometimes when she felt a little overwhelmed. The soft tinkle of the windchimes always helped to ground her and put her at ease once more.

Of course, it had been little help when she’d spent several hours out there after she’d agreed to join Yuuka’s clan and it really sank in that she’d agreed to be an idol of all things. But, well, that was a completely different situation than this. 

“Do you want some tea or water, maybe?”

For some reason, though this was Nyb’s first time even seeing this girl, something in her voice or her face instilled a much-needed drop of calmness in his wild, palpitating heart. Enough that he was able to quell the trembling that had seized much of his body and command enough control over his knees so as to stand. Part of him felt bad for having such an unsightly meltdown here when this girl was on duty, mostly because it embarrassed him. Whether it was someone he knew or a complete stranger, the fact of the matter was that it was unbecoming of him to bare his soul so openly like this. That was why he’d gone here to hide… However, it only seemed to backfire.

“Uh, well…” Hurrying to sort through the flurry of emotions and thoughts rushing through his head, Nyb raised a hand to awkwardly scratch his face. “I don’t really want to bother you here… Though I guess it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sit a little while. I’ll take some tea, but I’d like to at least pay you for it. I can’t just be a freeloader, you know? I’m pretty sure I’m already trespassing.” Torn between his desire to not stick around any more than necessary, and his body’s need for rest (as well as, admittedly, an interest in the koi), he finally settled to take her up on the offer, but he would do it as a paying customer and would not stay long. That way, at least he shouldn’t owe her anything. Plus, if he could recover from this somewhere away from scrying eyes, and this time with the grace of someone who worked there no less, that would probably be for the best.

[bloodstainedshackles]

Dissonance || Nyb & Shizuku

yaegashiryu​:

“Protection, huh…That’d be nice, wouldn’t it,” Shizuku laughed softly. Maybe it was right, in a way. The Emerald Clan specialized in shields, after all. Of course, she doubted that there was some force protecting the shop, but it was nice to think about. Well, it wasn’t like it was totally unprotected, given she lived on the second floor and could easily make it down quickly to deal with any intruders stupid enough to try. 

Still, she smiled seeing how much he liked the ring. “It does,” she agreed. “That must be why you’re so drawn to it, like you were meant to have it.” Some things happened for a reason, after all. It was just funny how things worked out like that sometimes. She wasn’t superstitious by any means but at the very least, she could believe when things worked out like that.

“Alright then,” she smiled, grabbing a bag and tucking the box inside. He seemed genuinely happy with the purchase, and she couldn’t help but feel happy for him. She was glad the ring was going to such a loving home.

“That is true, and it is nice to see them come in and buy gifts for their friends or significant others.” If there had been a place like this when she and Kaori were still in school, she was sure her friend would have dragged her there and she would have lamented out most of the things there didn’t suit someone like her. That opinion had mostly changed though. At the very least, she did find something that suited her every now and then.

Her smile widened at his assessment though, and she chuckled. “I’m glad to hear it. That was essentially my goal, and why I chose this place. It started to help a friend out, so he could make some money, so I didn’t want it to feel like one of those brand name stores. Keeping a comfortable atmosphere was important to me.” It had also been convenience, with the building already being in her family’s care, so it was both the easiest solution and the best one. “Personally speaking, I think our prices certainly help but…I also feel like everything being handcrafted makes it mean more. Everyone can find something they feel connected to on a more personal level, like that ring there.”

“The exterior doesn’t really do much to catch the eye though, so it’ll have to rely on a combination of curiosity and word-of-mouth, I suppose. But you know… I think that kinda model can bear its own fruits, especially with the affordable pricing and the homeliness.” As the young assassin’s green eyes scanned his purview of the store, he pondered on this more and more. Certainly, he was no great genius, much less a business expert, but there was something about the small shop and the kindly woman running it that made him feel strongly for the shop’s success. But maybe it was just his own personal feelings of hatred towards his employer that made him want to take such a stand, too.

Regardless, one thing did stick out to him about this job as being especially odd.

“You don’t seem like the type to have many enemies.”

She gave off a radiantly kind aura that only served to complement the shop’s comfortable atmosphere. She wasn’t the type of person many people would want to hurt for no reason, and beyond that, it wasn’t like her small-time business would generate much profit - certainly not enough to fund the luxuriant expenses his employer incurred. The job seemed almost pointless if it was just for scrounging up funds, but he’d nevertheless been ordered to scout the area. Something about it felt off, and Nyb’s face scrunched up as he tried to delve deeper into his thoughts and memories to sort out why that was.

But figuring things out like that… had never really been his forte, and he soon gave up.

Heaving a sigh, he stroked the pretty gemstone adorning his finger and looked back up to the shop owner. “Thanks for… well, everything, I guess. I know it sounds dumb, but stepping into this store and talking to you has helped me a little. I don’t know what good it’ll do, though. I have one of those jobs, you know, that I can’t really do anything about, but damn do I hate it there.”

[bloodstainedshackles]

Dissonance || Nyb & Shizuku

yaegashiryu​:

“That’s right. Thanks to that we can keep our prices more affordable,” Shizuku smiled. “Admittedly, we were really lucky to cross paths with our supplier, and it was extremely generous of her to even offer this much.” Honestly, she wasn’t sure what had possessed the blonde teen to even offer, but as the saying went, you didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. It had, at least, been one of the few bright spots during the whole crepe incident. 

Her smile brightened when he decided to make the purchase. She stepped over to the register to ring up the purchase, before drawing the keyring from her belt to unlock the case and withdraw the ring. She placed it on the counter and rummaged around behind the counter for a moment before finding a box to put it in, then locked the case once more. She double-checked the amount before completing the purchase, then slid the box over the counter to him.

“I’ll be sure to let our craftsman know,” she chuckled, though she was pretty sure he’d just scowl and brush it off. It was almost funny how easily she could imagine that. “To be honest, it’s also thanks to his skill that makes whatever flaws the gemstones have look intentional, like they’re part of the design. I really admire his work and talent.” She was glad, at least, that neither Otto or Naofumi was around to hear her sing the Emerald King’s praises like that.

On the subject of business, she paused, tilting her head to the side. “Well, we’re sort of out of the way, and it doesn’t exactly look like a shop, even with the sign outside but we’re getting enough to get by, at least,” she answered. “We’re still a bit new and figuring things out but so far, so good. Most of the traffic tends to be students, but thanks to that, we’ve gotten pretty popular with young girls. That’s not to say we don’t get people searching for gifts for their significant others though.”

She really couldn’t complain though. It was at least interesting and something new. She had to say she was enjoying herself. She hadn’t thought something like this would really be fun, and true, slow days could be boring, but it wasn’t bad.

“Would you like a bag to carry it in?”

“Really lucky, huh? Hey, that’s interesting. That kinda luck’s gotta be a boon on the store, huh? Maybe like some kind of protection.” After all, it would take another strike of such luck, combined with Nyb’s own bargaining skills, to convince his superiors to let the shop go. He had a great case in mind for it, but of course, whether it would be enough to to make them lose interest entirely in the shop was another matter. So even if it might have just been wishful thinking, the thought that some divine entity had blessed the store as such, Nyb had a strong desire for something like that.

Contemplating on this, he slipped the ring out of the box it came in and slid it over one of his fingers. “It kinda matches my eyes, huh…?” Staring at the glistening gemstone as it sat on his hand, his pulse quickened and he once again felt a tug on his heartstrings. Imperfect or not, it was perfect in his eyes. He had always been kind of a sucker for sparkly, pretty things like this, but he thought this went even beyond that. Whatever the case, he was pleased that it was his now.

“Eh, ahh… A bag for the box would be fine.” But he was already wearing the ring and had no designs for taking it off any time soon.

“It’s good to be in with the young crowd though, isn’t it? When they get older, maybe they’ll even remember this place.” If it was still standing, that was. And Nyb sincerely hoped it would be. “You’re right, though, it looks kinda misleading. But I dunno… It kinda gives it a comfy feeling, at least to me. It’s like… This place isn’t as intimidating as the big retailers, you know? You walk into one of those and not only are you looking to get swindled half the time, but you feel everyone’s eyes on you the entire time. It’s not like that so much here. You’re even able to embrace the idea of the flawed gems and use it to your business advantage. I mean, your prices… Because of that, they have to be the best on the market, right?”

[bloodstainedshackles]

A Terrible Night For A Curse || Nyb & Risu

cursedspikes​:

Risu felt like a passenger in his own body, watching from the sidelines as his ability seemed to take him over. At the very least, the monster he had become, the one lurking at the front of his mind, hellbent on revenge, shared his same goal: survival.

This beast had clearly already tasted blood and probably wouldn’t have minded another taste. But Risu didn’t intend to be next on the menu without a fight.

As the beast lunged forward at an alarming speed, the spikes around Risu’s body rattled on their chains and shot forward, forming in front of Risu’s form like a shield of sorts. Sparks flew as the creature’s claws slashed against the metal, an awful screeching accompanying the display. The force of the beast colliding with him pushed Risu back a significant distance, and his heartbeat pounded in his ears.

That was definitely too close for comfort.

The chains rattled again as they pushed back against the beast, trying to shove it off and get at least some of the distance back between them.

“I’ll curse you…!”

The spikes switched from defense to offense, striking forward like fangs towards the beast.

It was just a simple beast. Driven by an insatiable bloodlust, it sowed carnage in its wake, but was incapable itself of the type of intelligence needed for anything as sophisticated as strategy or planning. Impulsive, it operated off of sheer instinct, and the memory ingrained in the bulky, battle-hardened muscles.

“Grrrrrrrr… Spiky… Meat…”

Not easily deterred by even the prickly interference of the reaper’s steel spines, the beast jumped back after having its attack deflected. Lips curled back, a snarl rumbled low in its throat and it began circling around the opponent.

Ready to lunge at the back, rip open the nape of the neck, whatever it took, but--

Before any decisive action could be taken, the spikes surrounding the reaper as a shield instead turned to strike outward, flying forward at such a speed that they were hard to track.

However, regardless, the beast inhabiting Nyb’s body was able to catch their direction from the swishing of the air around them. Deftly, it sprang out of the way with a sideways leap, and whipped the hefty shark’s tail out towards the reaper’s exposed midriff. The move wasn’t without its risks, of course. But ultimately even the razor-sharp spike that caught the tail in its trajectory, scratching out a bloody trail, was just only able to pierce through the fur-coated hide. Even the blood soaking in to darken the fur wasn’t much, and not nearly enough to make the beast stop in its attack.

And so the tail continued to swing towards the reaper, with all the force of the momentum carrying it through the air, trailing blood droplets.

[wisteriahill]

it starts with a seed || nyb & ran

@bloodstainedshackles​

She stretched her arms over head as she stepped out from behind the counter. No one had come inside in the past thirty minutes, so she reasoned now was a good opportunity to go water the plants outside. The afternoon sun hung high overhead as the door shut behind her. Her usual routine was going around the side to the faucet and filling up the watering can before making her way through the plants displayed outside. At least now, they wouldn’t fry in the heat. 

But as she made her way around to the other side of the shop, she noticed something unusual. She furrowed her brows as she stepped closer, peering over the small wooden fence that ran around the edge of the property. It looked like someone was crouched there, hidden in the shadows and cover of the taller plants nearby. 

“Hello…?” she began. “Are you alright..?” Well, they didn’t really look okay, but maybe they were just taking a quick rest..though it was an odd place for one. Despite her concern, she did tighten her grip on the watering can, just in case she needed to throw it to buy herself enough time to manipulate the plants around her to protect herself.

She doubted it would come to that though. If this person was going to rob the shop, surely they would have tried to break in already. Not that there was really anything valuable here…

[bloodstainedshackles]

Using the lengthy shadows cast by the tall plants as cover from the blazing sun overhead, as well as from the prying eyes of any passersby, Nyb crouched by the shop, unable to focus on anything around him. The torment he was subjected to by the sneering demons, which were invisible and yet dreadfully loud in his head, became the sole focus of his attention. Reminding him of innocent lives he’d taken, laughing at the emotional weakness in him that left him roiling in turmoil after each and every grisly job, scorning him for not being more like the heartless beast that he kept caged within.

Screeching at him to get over his self-pity party and carry out the task he’d been most recently assigned.

“I can’t…” Rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, hands clasped over his ears as if it would somehow reduce the cacophony inside, tears streamed down his face as these hopeless words escaped his throat in a whimper. “I can’t... I can’t I can’t I can’t. I don’t… want… to… It’s too much. This is… too far… and I can’t…”

Choking sobs racked his body as he went around in such repetitive, nonsensical circles. It was the kind of job that shook the hardened killer to his core. Well, “hardened” was a strong word. He distanced himself from it. If he didn’t do that, he’d have lost his sanity long ago. However, the task being thrust upon him now was not one he could simply hold his breath for and have it done in the blink of an eye, and it was because of that that his whole being revolted against the idea.

It would destroy him, and he would no longer be Nyb. Instead, he’d just become the same kind of emotionless monster that lurked inside of him. Or at least, that was his fear, and he refused to let it come to pass.

But while he was shaking there, lost in his fears, suddenly a voice spoke up. It wasn’t the demons, because it came from outside - that is, a physical being had asked him a question. And, lifting his head, he saw that it was a girl, whose embroidered apron distinguished her as an employee of the shop.

Realizing that, despite his efforts, he’d been seen, he also had to accept that he could no longer stay here. At least, not looking like he did. Already, he’d attracted too much attention like this.

“Uh…” Slowly, he rose to his feet as he took a moment to gather his scattered thoughts. “I’m uh… Yeah, I’ll be okay. I just had a rough day at work.” Technically, it wasn’t a lie, he supposed. “Sorry, am I in the way here?”

[bloodstainedshackles]

YOLO || Nyb & Gen

@liarsmiles

Flyers, pamphlets, posters, and other goods handed out by hawkers on the street usually did not interest Nyb at all. On the other hand, he always did his best to avoid eye contact with these people so they couldn’t strike up a conversation with him, and if they still managed to slip him something, he’d toss it into the next trash bin on his path. Even if he wasn’t usually hurrying to be somewhere, such things just did not hold an interest for him.

So then why was it that, on this day, as the young man with the odd hair slipped him yet another worthless scrap of paper, that Nyb paused? It probably wasn’t his spiel, delivered in a sing-song voice to all who passed by. Then, maybe it was his various oddities, in both his manner of dress and the hair on his head. But, most likely, it was something within Nyb himself. He’d been searching for something new to try, something exciting and fun that he could lose himself in and forget his real world duties. Something like a concert could be perfect. And the cheery young girl on the face of the flyer, the cute idol with the indigo hair, looked ready to deliver on such a goal.

So it came to be that Nyb had unwittingly stopped in his tracks, staring at the flyer he’d been handed, his mind all but made up.

But then he slipped further and brought his eyes up from the flyer and met the grey eyes of the man who’d given it to him. He could still avert his gaze and escape if he really wanted, but the burgeoning feelings of curiosity had opened him to other things.

“So this show… Will there be merch on sale there?”

[nazo-no-otoko]

That’s Pretty Sus | V and Nyb

@bloodstainedshackles​

V must’ve read the yellowed pages of this particular Blake anthology about a hundred times. Still, it was his favorite collection of poems, and the familiarity of the words brought him a sort of comfort. It was a nice day to go outside for most, but that time could’ve been spent inside for just as pleasant of a time if you asked V.

Griffon was by no means a normal bird, but he fell into those habits regardless, preening his feathers near his master. But as he finished, rather than engage in some banter, the familiar was silent. V was glad for the reprieve from Griffon’s usual blabber, but he could feel that there was a deeper reason for his bird’s uncharacteristic behavior.

“Is something the matter?” he asked, not looking up from his book.

“Yeah… there’s been a guy hanging around outside for a while. He doesn’t seem to be doin’ anything, but uh… he’s just been there way longer than anyone should, considerin’ to anyone else, this is just a closed down bookstore,” Griffon explained.

“Hm… that’s odd, indeed. He may be lost.”

“Or he could be up to something.”

“I guess we’ll find out, then, won’t we?” With that, V shut his book and placed it on the table in front of him, grabbing his cane from nearby. “I’m going to go for a walk. If he’s still loitering about when I return, then it might be cause for suspicion.”

Griffon nodded once before dissolving into black shards which seemed to evaporate into mist shortly, the tattoos on V’s chest and arms reappearing as the mist cleared. V stepped outside of the bookstore and locked the door behind him before turning to begin his stroll. But before he set off, it wouldn’t hurt to pose a question to the stranger.

“Is there something I can assist you with?” V asked the man. “Are you lost, perhaps?”

[bloodstainedshackles]

Silent, like the wind as it soars through the sky; quick, like the flash of a knife; invisible, like a shadow in the night - these simple tenets were embedded into Nyb’s memory and muscles just like the knowledge of how to walk or breathe. Sneaking around was second nature to him, and indeed it would be hard to outperform him in this task without the aid of a Strain power, he’d been doing it for as long as he could remember. And, of course, the purpose of that was for his superiors to send him out on reconnaissance missions, assassination missions, thieving missions, kidnapping missions. Basically, Nyb was the lackey they used for everything, and his training had forged him into the perfect tool for it.

Well, in every way except one, that is.

There, crouched outside the abandoned bookstore in the shadows, peering through the window at the lanky man inside, Nyb didn’t make a sound. The Colorless King had been deemed a high priority target. The fact that he was low-profile, not widely even known about, meant that if he disappeared, there would be minimal backlash. It was essentially risk-free. On top of that, he possessed the extraordinary powers of a Clan King, something Nyb’s superiors had long sought after as desperation mounted to reach a breakthrough with the research.

He was the Colorless King, but Nyb didn’t know his name. Just that the gaunt, black-haired man fitting his description was his target. Regardless, dread still prickled like a thorn in the young assassin’s heart. He knew what fate lay in store for this man once Nyb’s terrible hands grabbed him. It was the same thing they pulled Nyb in for about once a month or so, and even though that had occurred several weeks ago, he could still feel the chilling sensation of the needle in his arm as the vials filled with his blood. He hated it, and he didn’t particularly want any more people held prisoner for such an awful task.

But he’d already put off the abduction several times on the pretense of information-gathering. He would have to make his move soon, or he would be punished.

And yet, just as the pivotal moment arrived and the Colorless King took his step outside, Nyb balked and his blood ran cold.

Because just as he’d tensed the muscles in his legs, ready to leap out and make his decisive move, the dark eyes landed directly where Nyb still crouched, hidden by loose shrubbery and shadows. And yet, this veil concealing him was somehow easily shattered, because the man clearly saw him, and asked him a question.

Having been seen, the only option left to him was to deceive. Crouched as he was by the building’s window, there weren’t very many options for him.

“Oh, uh... I thought I dropped something important to me here somewhere. It’s small and hard to see, so it’s been kinda hard.” A convenient lie that lent itself to his awkward positioning. “I was trying to see what was going on with the bookstore when my ring slipped off. There was a book I was looking for, but then this place looked shut down, so I guess I wasn’t getting very far. But then… I didn’t expect there’d be anyone inside, so I was surprised. Are there still books in there?” And diversion.

[bloodstainedshackles]

Dissonance || Nyb & Shizuku

yaegashiryu​:

It was just a typical day in the shop, all things considered. It was a bit slow, but she didn’t mind that. It gave her time to work on other things, like making sure everything was clean, that there was no speck of dust, or even work on crossword puzzles to pass the time. She was grateful to Otto for making the process a lot smoother. Though it really had put it into perspective that she’d had no idea what she was doing. 

She tapped her pen against her lip, furrowing her brows at the hint for six across. It was a bit of a hard one, but at least her attention was drawn away when the bell chimed overhead. She smiled, offering the usual greeting, and setting aside the crossword for now. It’d probably help to come back with fresh eyes anyway. She stood from her seat at the counter and stretched, noting after a bit that it seemed a ring had caught his eye. 

It was definitely a well-crafted piece, thanks in part to Naofumi’s talent, as well as the deal with that blonde heiress who agreed to let them use the flawed gems she was unable to sell. Though perhaps also because of that, their prices were a bit more affordable than what they might be in other places. While he browsed, she busied herself with straightening up her area at the register in case he decided to make the purchase. 

At his question, she snapped up. “Ah, that ring?” She moved over to make sure it was the one she’d been thinking of before rattling off the price. “It’s 5,000 yen. It’s a bit cheaper than you might find elsewhere but that’s because our craftsman uses imperfect gems from our supplier. We think it gives them a bit more personality and uniqueness.” Well, that was probably just her way of thinking, if she was being honest. Naofumi probably didn’t care that much.

“Imperfect gems…” At this revelation, Nyb’s heart fluttered and he had to stop himself from breaking out into a wide grin. The knowledge that the gemstones used were imperfect had a lot more impact on him that the shop owner could possibly know. Because now, that horrible sinking feeling he’d been mired in since entering the store began to lift.

There was a good chance Nyb could use such knowledge as a bargaining chip against his superiors, to dissuade them from the nefarious plot to rob it of its riches. What riches? Already, he could envision how his part of the conversation would play out. It’s all cheap, you definitely wouldn’t be getting the needed funds from there. Instead, they would be better off turning their noses elsewhere to acquire the needed money. Not that Nyb especially wanted them getting it either way, but just the thought of ransacking such a cozy, small shop like this really didn’t sit right with him.

But did anything he was involved in sit right with him?

Agh, not like it mattered, if he could do a good deed just here and there, even if nobody knew it but him, it was the only thing that could keep him sane.

All that aside, the matter of the ring being only 5,000 yen also thrilled Nyb for another reason. He wasn’t provided much funding from his superiors, but he was certain he could at least scrounge up that much for the ring. Doing so might set him back a little in other ways, but…

“Okay, I’ll take the ring.” Buying it was something he really wanted to do. It almost felt like he and the ring had some kind of connection, even though in truth he knew such things were silly.

So he scrounged up 5,000 yen worth of coins from his wallet and set them on the counter.

“I think it looks really cool. Maybe it’s just because I’m not a gem expert, but I wouldn’t have known that it’s not perfect. Do you guys get a lot of business?”

[bloodstainedshackles]

Sunk || Nyb & Narihisago

nxrihisago​:

Once more, Narihisago was trudging through the streets of Shizume’s less high profile areas long after the sun had set. Solid sleep often eluded him and any time he woke up, heart pounding and tears streaming down his face, he knew returning to slumber wasn’t on the table for a while still. He was no stranger to ruminating in his past failures, the one that tore down his life, the one that haunted him.

But even he grew tired of that. His headspace wasn’t very fun to be in, and he would take most distractions to get out of it. He took to this particular part of town tonight hoping to follow a lead that he had been given by his “superiors” earlier that week, hoping it would keep his mind off of his recurring nightmare.

And distract it did, as he saw an incredibly suspicious person on his nighttime excursion. It was more apt to say he just saw a person with something on their face, as the moonlight didn’t do much favors by way of helping Narihisago identify what it was, but as he got closer, the man’s detour seemed… a bit too sudden. A little too coincidental for it to sit right with Narihisago. There was no harm in investigating, just a little bit.

“Excuse me,” Narihisago called out, hoping the knowledge that he had been seen would prompt the man would reveal himself again. “Could I ask you something?” If it really was nothing, Narihisago could play it off, but if it was, then his night just took an unforeseen turn.

He had been seen.

Gulping down his breath as the ensuing panic kick-started his heart into second gear, Nyb almost wasn’t sure what he should do. Normally he could conjure up a façade convincing enough to let him slip by. However, this time he’d made that terrible, irreversible mistake and now had a dead man’s blood smeared on his face. So rare was this to happen that he couldn’t think straight, certainly couldn’t organize his thoughts well enough to clasp onto any of the reasonable excuses that existed out there.

Well, no, the problem was if he was found suspicious enough to be brought in for questioning and they wanted to swab him for DNA.

There existed another problem, too. His agitation at the prospect of being caught stirred the beast within him into wakefulness. Deep inside, it lurked, hungry for blood, longing to burst free from the cage Nyb kept it in. If he couldn’t calm down, he feared it might actually break free, and if that happened…

…

“I don’t think I have a choice.” Mumbling under his breath, Nyb conceded finally to what had to be done and stepped out of hiding. The pink-haired man’s hard gaze unsettled him, and it took his utmost willpower to quell the trembling in his bones and voice that threatened to break loose. Hands in his pockets to create the appearance of nonchalance, Nyb nevertheless met that gaze with his own.

“Okay,” he said, responding to the request, “what did you need?”

He’d done his best to wipe the blood off his face, but of course there wasn’t enough time or the cleaning materials to get the red smudge completely out. Still, as he came out like this, intuition took hold over him, calming his heart, giving him the confidence needed to keep up his cool composure, and most importantly granting him clarity of thought.

[bloodstainedshackles]

Sunk || Nyb & Narihisago

@nxrihisago

Silent as the wind, and using naught but the moon’s pale light to guide him, the assassin slipped his blade underneath the latch holding the window locked. Skillfully, he shifted his blade to undo this latch, allowing him to slide the window open and slip into the stuffy, dingy bedroom where his target lay sleeping. Footsteps yielded no sound as he moved over the floor to the bedside, and neither did his clothing as he positioned the blade above the man’s sleeping neck.

The man, who’d stepped into the wrong building at the wrong time earlier that day, couldn’t know that this was coming.

One swift movement of the assassin’s arm, and the sharp edge of that blade flashed in the moonlight. A splash of red followed, and the man’s head rolled and plopped to the floor. There’d been no time for him to loose a scream before his brain’s connection with his body had been severed, but the terrified look in those eyes, and the gaping mouth was plenty to indicate the horror he’d felt at the moment of his demise.

Tears brimmed in the assassin’s eyes at the sight of his handiwork, but there was no time to get remorseful. Lingering at the site would mean getting caught. Getting caught would mean the end of him. And that would be…

…

With a deep exhale, Nyb wiped the bloodied blade onto the blanket adorning the bed. Then, sheathing the weapon, he slid back out of the window and lowered himself onto the pavement below. His technique, mastered through so many years of practice, left him without so much as a bloodstain on himself.

Regardless, he felt the man’s blood coating his hands, combining with the blood of so many past victims to form the shackles binding him to this fate.

“...Fuck…”

Muttering this, quiet enough so as not to stir up any trouble, Nyb continued on, down the street towards his next job. Manacles, that more often felt just as real as the blade he carried or the bracelet tightly bound to his wrist, dragged at his feet. He wanted to stop. No more he wanted to say. No more blood.

But of course life wasn’t that simple.

And unfortunately he’d made a minor miscalculation.

On his begrudging way to the next victim, he ran into a man. Stern-faced and with pink-ish hair. It wasn’t Nyb’s first time seeing him, and he knew vaguely that the man had something to do with Scepter 4. Part of him wanted to give everything up and turn himself in right there, but the self-preserving part of him disputed that and swiftly took to the shadows of the nearby building.

If the man saw him, he would have to talk his way out.

But…

Wind gusted, and Nyb felt a wet trickle on his face. He didn’t remember coming into contact with anything wet.

He swiped at his face with a finger, and then brought it in front of his eyes to examine.

Red.

Red.

The miscalculation he’d made had gotten some of the man’s blood on his own face, and he hadn’t noticed until now. Too distracted by the weight of his sins to notice such a small detail.

[bloodstainedshackles]

Dissonance || Nyb & Shizuku

@yaegashiryu

Dread coiled tight like a spring in Nyb’s stomach. Unsettled by such a large disturbance, his stomach roiled and churned, creating waves of nausea, and he had to bite back the bile rising in the back of his throat.

“I like this one…” he whispered, fingers brushing over the glass of the display case. The striking green in the emerald that made up the centerstone of the ring displayed there resonated with him, and his heart longed for it. Well, not like he was getting married or anything… and it was definitely outside of his price range. Still, he knew that if he could afford it, he’d drop the money on it in an instant, and wear it just as a keepsake.

But he wasn’t even here for that, as the clawing dread in his stomach was so eager to remind him.

Still, though his mouth bent upwards in a sad but awkward smile, his overall complexion and demeanor remained unfazed and unreadable. He was, after all, a great poker player. And though these skills availed him little with his typical comrades who also were skilled at the game, it did mean that he had the exceptional ability to hide anything upsetting him.

He didn’t want to be here. Everything in his body longed to put as much distance as possible between himself and this place. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with it, wanted never to even think of it again.

But in front of the shop’s owner, the only thing he let show was the gleam in his eyes as he gazed at the ring.

And, though he felt like puking, he turned a cool look onto the woman running the shop and allowed his curiosity some expression. “How much is this?”

[bloodstainedshackles]

A Terrible Night For A Curse || Nyb & Risu

Risu grew tired of the same routine day after day. Still, it haunted him like a specter ghosting around at the forefront of his mind, stirring up his thoughts and making him downright neurotic. He couldn’t rest until he got even a hint of a lead to the identity of the one who killed him. There was that lingering voice asking that same question over and over again:

Who killed me?

Another day turned up no clues and Risu grew tired of wandering the streets, so heading home was the only thing he could think to do at the moment as the sun began to dip lower and lower in the sky. As the color drained from the clouds and the horizon darkened, Risu turned his gaze upwards and noted that there was a full moon looming overhead, shades of red coloring it. His looking at the night sky was interrupted by a resounding howl tearing through the city, and the mere sound send chills down his spine.

Those chills turned into something much worse as the voice in his head made itself louder and louder in his mind.

I can feel it… I sense a killing intent!

Risu fought back a scream as four fingers burst through the palms of his hands and a row of sharp fangs emerged behind his own teeth. A second pair of eyes opened on his forehead as a skeletal mask came forth, formed from the smoke emitted by Risu’s body as he transformed.

The smoke solidified into a cloak that hung in tatters over Risu’s body, spikes and chains floating ominously from him as he levitated above the pavement. His eyes began to scan for the source of the threat, his heart pounding in his ears and his blood running hot. That’s when he spotted a beast nearby, unlike anything he had seen before.

“I feel your killing intent…!” The voice that came from Risu’s throat wasn’t entirely his own, warped. He braced himself for an assault he was sure was coming, eyes sharpening as he watched for the beast to make the first move.

Run…

Nyb tried to call out, to warn anyone in his path. No, it wasn’t really his path anymore… The tan-furred beast now prowling the streets beneath the blood-red moon was now controlled by a being entirely more fearsome, more bloodthirsty.

Run away...

Movement flashed before his eyes, but it was distant. Far away. Like he was watching the scene from afar through a spyglass. Flashes of movement as the beast lurked through the streets, faster than any man. Splashes of red as the beast swiped razor-sharp claws at the poor passerby that couldn’t escape.

Get out of here!

But no matter how much he wanted to cry out, no matter how much he strained his throat, all that came out was a roiling, bubbling growl. It scared him.

This isn’t me!

He wanted to scream out, since he couldn’t wrest control away from the dreadful monster. But instead of a scream, the jaws of the beast parted to tear the meat from the fresh corpse it had created. Skin, muscle, bone, everything was devoured, until nothing was left.

This isn’t… me…

Horror at the scene unfolding before him was muted, numbed as he was by exposure to such cruel atrocity too many times before. He was disgusted, revolted, but couldn’t even bring himself to look away.

Then a voice spoke out, fierce and assertive, neither his own nor the beast’s.

“Grrrrrrrgggghhhhrrrrrrrrgggghhhhh…”

With this growl rumbling in its chest, the beast swung its head and turned sharp green eyes onto the emerging figure. Fresh blood dripping from the beast’s bared fangs, pointed ears folded back, it paused, watching that figure for a moment, tensing the muscles in its body.

Then, with a sharp, ear-piercing “rrrrrrrrrrrrrroooooooooooooooooooogggghhhhh” it released that tension all at once and sprang towards the figure, bloodied claws outstretched to snag and tear the flesh it touched.

[bloodstainedshackles]

Starter Call

leik dis fur a thwead with awoo man UwU

[bloodstainedshackles]

A Terrible Night For A Curse || Nyb & Risu

@cursedspikes

The day preceding the arrival of a blood moon always stirred feelings of unrest within Nyb, resonating with the hated part of himself that lurked within. Quickening his pulse, sharpening his senses, hyper awareness of both himself and his surroundings flooded him. He all at once felt like he could accomplish anything, and the unshakeable impending sense of doom that came with the terrible knowledge of where this was all leading.

Inescapable.

Once again, Fate bound him by its cruel design. Loose gravel on the shoddy path paved for him sliced into his feet, and he trailed bloodied footprints as he pushed exhaustively onwards. Shackles tethered him strictly to this path. No matter how much he might desire a brighter, better future, fighting against the shackles inevitably only led to further despair.

“Hhhhkkkkkk...”

Wandering mindlessly down the street like this as the sun rode lower and lower in the sky, heralding in the dusk that would welcome in the dreadful night, Nyb’s blood began to react. Like it was bubbling, boiling, pricking at his veins. Heart racing, thumping almost painfully in his chest as the blood raced through his body. His vision swam with vibrant colors, nose assaulted with myriads scents. It made him feel sick. But still he pushed onwards, foam dripping from his mouth as he tried to just get to the abandoned outskirts of the town. There, he could minimize the damages.

But the night drew in much too quickly.

It wasn’t that his strength was failing him - on the contrary, his adrenal glands and heart were working overtime - but that the world outside began to fade, as the numbing darkness crept in to cast a shroud over his senses. This, too, was normal. And it meant he was out of time.

Fur, sleek and tan-brown, sprouted up to coat his skin. And as the lean muscles underneath expanded, giving his body new bulk, the simple t-shirt he’d worn that day burst apart at the seams, falling to the ground in tatters as the large shark fin emerged on his back. The leggings, too, never stood a chance against the sudden increase in mass, nor against that shark tail that shot out, thrashing.

“....rrrrrrrrr….”

From his throat emerged a low sound, like a growl. Lips pulled back into a snarl, showing off the rows of sharp, sharp teeth lining the pointed muzzle his face had stretched into. Pointed ears swivelled to catch the sounds floating around the city; sharp green eyes flitted about the darkening landscape, searching for signs of movement, signs of life.

Above, in that blackening sky, emerged a moon, tinged with the cursed red.

Towards this moon, the beast lifted his muzzle and loosed a shrill, vociferous howl.